Reenactment of the Custom of the Fotarides

"Astypalaia's three-day Dekapentavgoustos celebration is centred on the Monastery of Portaitissa, which crowns the medieval Chora above the Aegean, with processions, traditional island music, and the communal feast of stuffed lamb known as labrino unique to this butterfly-shaped island."

Panigiri Παναγίας Ποιτιτίσσας, Chora

"Among the most celebrated panigiria in the Cyclades, Kanala's two-day Assumption feast on Kythnos includes a solemn icon procession accompanied by the Navy band and a dramatic re-enactment of the icon's miraculous discovery at sea."

Panigyri Panagias Kanalas Kythnou (Πανηγύρι Παναγίας Κανάλας Κύθνου)

"Running alongside the village's Assumption panigiri, this nine-day Panhellenic Craft Fair brings artisans from across Greece to Kremasti's streets for a rare convergence of traditional crafts and festive village atmosphere."

Panhellenic Craft Fair Kremasti

"Filoti's Assumption feast at the 200-year-old Panagia Filotitissa is Naxos's grandest village panigiri, with three days of syrtos, balos and vlacha dances to violin, laouto and tsampouna, and communal wine."

Panigyri Panagias Filotitissas (Πανηγύρι Παναγίας Φιλωτίτισσας)

"At the ancient 4th-century Church of Ekatontapyliani in Parikia, the Assumption is marked with an icon litany, fireworks across the harbour, and all-night dancing on the beach with traditional Cycladic music."

Panigyri Panagias Ekatontapylianis (Πανηγύρι Παναγίας Εκατονταπυλιανής)

"The cliff-face Monastery of Hozoviotissa above Chora Amorgos hosts one of the most atmospheric Assumption celebrations in the Cyclades, with pilgrims ascending the rock-cut steps for liturgy before an all-island panigiri."

Panigyri Panagias Chozoviotissas (Πανηγύρι Παναγίας Χοζοβιώτισσας)

"At the remote village church of Panagia Lagouvardas in Markopoulo on Kefalonia, harmless small snakes bearing a natural cross-shaped marking on their heads appear each year around the icon of the Virgin in a phenomenon revered by the village since the 16th century, drawing pilgrims for the entire period up to Dekapentavgoustos."

Panigiri Παναγίας Φιδούσας, Markopoulo

"In the remote Sfakia hamlet of Kalikratis, the cultural club cooks and distributes traditional Cretan food at morning congregation on the Dormition, followed by an all-night Cretan feast in a rarely visited corner of the White Mountains."

Panigyri Koimisis Theotokou - Kalikratis (Πανηγύρι Κοίμησης Θεοτόκου - Καλικράτης)

"At the abandoned-and-partly-revived Sfakian village of Asfendos, the Dormition feast draws returnees and visitors for free boiled meat, rice pilaf, and an open-air Cretan glendi in an eerily beautiful mountain bowl."

Panigyri Koimisis Theotokou - Asfentos (Πανηγύρι Κοίμησης Θεοτόκου - Ασφέντος)

"In the heart of one of Crete's great wine villages, Ano Archanes celebrates Panagia Faneromeni with Byzantine vespers on the eve and a lyra-and-laouto glendi the following night in its iconic vine-shaded square."

Panigyri Panagias Faneromenis - Ano Archanes (Πανηγύρι Παναγίας Φανερωμένης - Άνω Αρχάνες)

"At the Church of Gonia in Kolymbari, the Dormition eve brings a procession of the Virgin's icon through the village with military honours, followed by all-night vigil and a traditional Cretan glendi, one of the most ceremonially complete panigiria on the Chania coast."

Panigyri Koimisis Theotokou - Kolymvari (Πανηγύρι Κοίμησης Θεοτόκου - Κολυμβάρι)

"A remote Mani village panigiri for the Dormition of the Virgin, celebrated with an evening procession of the icon followed by all-night music and dancing in the stone-paved square of one of the Mani Peninsula's most traditional inland communities."

Panigiri Koimisis Theotokou